In general, a lipstick case comprises a cup housed in a sheath. The cup is guided in translational movement within the sheath. Actuating elements are accessible on the outside of the sheath to cause translational movement of the cup. In a known manner, the actuating elements comprise a part that rotates on the sheath, manipulatable by a user and imparting translational movement to the cup via a helical type of connection.
The cup is in the form of a bowl forming a housing for the stick. The stick is intended to be introduced into the housing of the cup, to remain there for the duration of the case's service life. The stick can therefore be forced into the cup, where friction between the stick and the cup prevents the stick from leaving the housing. The cup may also include specific elements such as grooves to retain the stick in the cup. A portion of the stick is thus lodged in the cup, where it remains inaccessible to the user. The larger this lodged portion, the better the retention of the stick in the cup but the larger the inaccessible portion in the cup will be. This results in waste, perceptible to the user.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,886 proposes a lipstick case comprising elements for recovering a portion of the product lodged in the cup. For this purpose, a push member that is movable relative to the cup is provided, which allows pushing the stick out of the cup. More specifically, translational movement of the cup in a first direction is actuated in the manner described above, by means of a helical connection, to expose the stick from the sheath. When the accessible portion of the stick exposed outside the sheath has been used up, translational movement of the cup is actuated in the other direction, returning it into the sheath. The push member comprises two arms projecting out of the cup, which are supported on the bottom of the sheath. The force of the push member pushing against the bottom moves the push member relative to the cup. The previously inaccessible portion of the stick is thus partially pushed out of the cup by the push member. Catches on the push member arms prevent the push member from returning to its initial position. The cup can then be reactuated in the first direction, so that the rest of the stick is now accessible to the user.
Although this system allows recovering some of the previously inaccessible portion of the stick, it requires returning the cup and the push member to the bottom of the sheath in order to push the arms against the bottom. This can be a chore for the user, who will not necessarily have the reflex to return the cup all the way into the sheath; this is even more true when the sheath is long.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,886 also proposes setting up a breakable bridge on the path of the cup, which prevents contact between the arms of the push member and the sheath bottom and which must be broken to place the push member arms in contact with the bottom of the sheath. Here again, the user does not necessarily have the reflex to force the movement of the cup once it has been fully returned into the sheath, and displacement of the push member within the cup is not obtained.
There is therefore a need for a novel case for a stick of solid or semi-solid material that limits waste while providing a solution to the above disadvantages.